New research conducted by the Women's Advancement League shows women are waiting longer to become hopeless spinsters.
In 1993, the average age for a lady to give up was 29. Today, it's 41.
Experts say the over decade-long increase can be attributed to a number of factors, including women's commitment to their education and careers, cosmetic surgery, and men getting better at leading women on.
According to psychologist Dr. Margaret Winslow, fear also plays a role. "This is the first generation to have had older single woman as role models, so it's more real for them. Spinsters no longer live a life of obscurity, hiding in the shadows."
Retail manager Lynne Stevens agrees: "I wanted to be financially stable first, so I knew I could afford a second bedroom for the cats."
Though some are putting off spinsterdom out of fear, many women find waiting longer to give up has strengthened their relationships with themselves.
Mary Lou Wilson of Salt Lake City says, "Calling myself 'available' until I was 38 gave me the confidence I needed to realize I don't like people and will never find an suitable partner."
In the face of this growing trend, Dr. Winslow emphasizes that most women will eventually become spinsters. Some just realize it earlier than others. "It may take a series of dead-end relationships or periods of 'getting to know yourself' to realize that the only person capable of tolerating you is you. But sometimes, you just know right away."
She then smiled, and began to cry into a day-old plate of tuna.